Are your windows tinted?

[genebaby]

I'm amazed at how many cars I see that don't have tinted windows. It not only looks cool, it keeps your car cooler and helps keep your interior looking newer for longer and keeps the sun out of your eyes.

Every day I see people on a certain stretch of road who have moved their visor to their side window to keep the sun from bothering them. Some even just drive with their hand up like a visor. This is when I realise what my tinting is doing for me, as I don't notice the sun.

I find tinting an absolute must, how about you?

[dansedgli]

Its overrated, I had it on my other car but havent felt the need to get it on this one.

[galaxy xr8]

All my vehicle's have tinted glass and all of my future vehicle's will as well, like you say it not only look's good but help's block those UV ray's, put your hand near tinted glass and then put your hand up next to a peice of glass that is not tinted on a very warm day, you can feel the difference straight away, of course I am only talking good tint not the shit you buy from supercheap and do yourself, and it also protect's at night, if you happen to pull up againt's a group of young dick's at a set of light's, they can not see in and don't know themselves who or how many people are in the vehicle.

[b2tf]

The Futura had the crappy factory tint, however seeing as Oakleys are plastered to my head during daylight hours anyway, it was never much of an issue. The Fairmont has it and I love it. The Focus has it too but im yet to spend enough time in it to decide whether i want it darker or not.

[AdzT3-146]

i dont at the moment, may at a later date. just my theory not sure if others will agree, but tinted windows might attract more attention from the boys in blue. especially if your on p plates.
just my opinion

[xespac]

Originally Posted by ef_classic

just my theory not sure if others will agree, but tinted windows might attract more attention from the boys in blue.

I believe that is the main factor in being pulled over for some people, however my bro has had his car for half a year, darkest legal tint (I believe), super lows with the after market el gt copies-17" wheels. He hasn't been pulled over ever, and he drives everyday, all day - work. off his p's mid next year - so I doubt the cops will be hard on him when he does get pulled over, on his full license.

As soon as I get my car registered, that will be the first thing I do - is get darkest legal tint.

My old man has illegal tint, hasn't been pulled over in the year he's had his car. Well, the last time he was pulled over was probably 10 years ago in an shiate box!. =)

I hear ALOT of people getting pulled up because of a tint inspection - and other stuff, but not a relative as of yet :P

[bscampbell]

I assume most people here know that tinting is illegal at less than 35% light transmittance because you have difficulties in seeing out of a vehicle with anything darker, especially at night! I read somewhere that someone hit a car because they didn't see it due to their illegal tint.

A cars front windscreen has an excellent UPF, but as we all know, poor heat protection, but can't be tinted for obvious reasons. That only leaves you with the side windows.

I had our wagon tinted with a Ming tint, but I couldn't legally get the rear windows darker, but if it was a work vehicle I could have!
I left it all legal because I didn't want to risk any insurance claims (touch wood that I don't have to) being a problem.


There are many different types of glass. Most are indistinguishable to the human eye, but they provide very different amounts of protection against solar UVR. The Protection Factor (PF) measures the decrease in UV light transmitted by a material. A PF of 50 means there is a 50-fold reduction in the amount of UVR transmitted. Some examples are:

Window Glass UV Protection Factors (PF/UPF):
Car side windows 12/12
Car windscreen (laminated) 75/50+
Window glass (house) 10/10
Office building glass 80/50+

UPF Protection Category:
10 - Moderate Protection
20 - High Protection
30 - Very High Protection
40 - Excellent Protection
50+ - Excellent Protection

Tinting can increase the protection against solar UVR considerably. Measurements made at ARPANSA indicate that most tints applied to glass areas in cars provide excellent protection UPF 50+. There are even clear tints which rate at UPF 50+.

[HLC]

Originally Posted by bscampbell

I assume most people here know that tinting is illegal at less than 35% light transmittance because you have difficulties in seeing out of a vehicle with anything darker, especially at night! I read somewhere that someone hit a car because they didn't see it due to their illegal tint.

A cars front windscreen has an excellent UPF, but as we all know, poor heat protection, but can't be tinted for obvious reasons. That only leaves you with the side windows.

I had our wagon tinted with a Ming tint, but I couldn't legally get the rear windows darker, but if it was a work vehicle I could have!
I left it all legal because I didn't want to risk any insurance claims (touch wood that I don't have to) being a problem.


There are many different types of glass. Most are indistinguishable to the human eye, but they provide very different amounts of protection against solar UVR. The Protection Factor (PF) measures the decrease in UV light transmitted by a material. A PF of 50 means there is a 50-fold reduction in the amount of UVR transmitted. Some examples are:

Window Glass UV Protection Factors (PF/UPF):
Car side windows 12/12
Car windscreen (laminated) 75/50+
Window glass (house) 10/10
Office building glass 80/50+

UPF Protection Category:
10 - Moderate Protection
20 - High Protection
30 - Very High Protection
40 - Excellent Protection
50+ - Excellent Protection

Tinting can increase the protection against solar UVR considerably. Measurements made at ARPANSA indicate that most tints applied to glass areas in cars provide excellent protection UPF 50+. There are even clear tints which rate at UPF 50+.

yeah with insurance, thats why im a bit cautious as to what tint i get on my curent car. go legal, or go dark like my old girl. meh.

[bscampbell]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

not only look's good but help's block those UV ray's, put your hand near tinted glass and then put your hand up next to a peice of glass that is not tinted on a very warm day, you can feel the difference straight away

Nope, that's the reduction in heat you feel, not a reduction in UV light because untinted windows block 99% of UV light anyway! Tinted windows push that up to 99.9%!

Originally Posted by Timmeh

I find the same thing with mine so dark - it's brilliant during the day and there's almost no light condition that allows you to see inside the vehicle, but at night, if there was a car/truck driving along without his headlights on and I was at an intersection, I'd pull right out in front of him because I won't see him.

Guess that's why you legally can't have less than 35% light transmittance!

Originally Posted by rdomain

As for illegal tints.... I heard at one stage if you have an illegal tint and your car is in an accident, the insurance company can void your warranty because of the illegal tinting. Has anybody else heard this?

Very true. If you have an accident and they see you have an illegal tint, they'll just say bad luck! They'll find anything to prevent a payout!
However, I have spoken to an XR6T owner with a 20% tint who collected a Kangaroo and had it repaired through insurance...may have been lucky though!

Originally Posted by Eclipse

Im fully quailified tinter, no dodgy work done here, i work for a tint shop during the week but on weekends do my own tinting, all legal tint,use only quality full metalised and or non metalised films, and a lot cheaper than tint shops.

You can probably answer my question then!
I had a Ming tint done and it was like a pro had done one side and a noob did the other because the cutting was rough, and there were large vertical gaps on the windows! Had it redone, but how do I know if they used the metallic tint, and not the dye-based tint? Actually, how do you know they haven't totally stiffed you and just given you dye-based all around? Is there a simple test, like measuring temperature at the inside surface of the tint?


I think something else that is very important to add is the make of your tint, how much and where you had it done!

35% Ming, Bendigo, $400 on a BA wagon.
Legally, you can't even get a darker tint for the rear windows of a wagon! That sucks!

[rdomain]

Legally, you can't even get a darker tint for the rear windows of a wagon!

You can on a ute

However, I have spoken to an XR6T owner with a 20% tint who collected a Kangaroo and had it repaired through insurance...may have been lucky though!

mmm... I don't think it's worth the $40,000+ gamble.

Cheers,
Ritchie

[bscampbell]

Originally Posted by rdomain

You can on a ute

You mean the rear window? I just meant the rear side windows of a wagon.
Are you sure, because I checked into this and the only ones who can have darker tints on rearmost windows are thsoe with work related vehicles. So if I was a travelling company rep and had stuff in the back, then I could have darker tint so no-one can see your goodies in the back...go figure!

[SiKoRa_eL_97]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

, and it also protect's at night, if you happen to pull up againt's a group of young ****'s at a set of light's, they can not see in and don't know themselves who or how many people are in the vehicle.

damn right it looks scary i no lol

[paul7v7]

yep and i notice the difference...thinking of getting it re done...a lot darker.

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by genebaby

I find tinting an absolute must, how about you?

Yes absolutely!

[FordFan86]

I got it, had the rear re-done, but no where near dark enough (read: i'ts like it aint there and it's darkest legal :S) the rest are all fairly dark but going purply, i wanna get em done as dark as i can. dad won't let me do nohting due to cops and insurance etc

[MAGPIE]

Wouldn't be without tint, both my cars have it. Mainly for security & looks as opposed to any uv reducing benefit.

[deankdx]

all my cars that i drive regularly will be tinted( the ones i currently drive are all tinted)
guess the most important things for me are in dark driving, no need to flip mirror and in sunny driving my arm doesn't get get burnt. plus the car looks better. in most places and if you're parking at night(32 years young) its a bit more private.
i just bought a Valiant coupe which wont be tinted as it wont suit IMO thats if i decide to keep it longer than a month
i had a 20% (very dark and illegal) tint on a ZJ fairlane i owned, it was quite hard to see in the dark especially to the left from a t intersection. quality 35% tint is good

[uranium_death]

Have tinting. When driving in the sun, the difference is noticeable. Wind the window down and feel the sun on your arms. Wind the window up and feel the effect of the tint. It's fantastic.

Worth it.

[Hyperion]

Got my BF-XR6 tinted last friday.

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~jef...ures/xr6-2.JPG

[Bling]

Originally Posted by FordFan86

I got it, had the rear re-done, but no where near dark enough (read: i'ts like it aint there and it's darkest legal :S) the rest are all fairly dark but going purply, i wanna get em done as dark as i can. dad won't let me do nohting due to cops and insurance etc

Try getting it done on your car, not his.

[darkfang888]

yeah, just factory tints but thats all I want.

[DivHunter]

Will be the first 'mod' on the R33 GTS-T

[Feathers]

Originally Posted by Fairmont99

Will be the first 'mod' on the R33 GTS-T

Will be the only one too. :


I got my XD tinted darkest legal, but I think it should have been darker.
I will get the XR6 tinted, but there are other things that have to come first.

[LUXO_8]

my nc has tint, but it needs to be redone sometime soon. i reckon it was done not long after the car was new, its all scratched and going crappy

[Amber]

5% all round!!!

[madmatty]

yes mine are tinted
great in the day

a little bit harder to see at night

[AdzT3-146]

that looks heaps good, amber. i might have to seriously think about tinting my EF after i get my extractors done.
it's either that or more car audio.

[RG]

Amber that looks great that dark. Very nice.

[rdomain]

Tinted windows is definately the go. It's practical AND it looks good.

As for illegal tints.... I heard at one stage if you have an illegal tint and your car is in an accident, the insurance company can void your warranty because of the illegal tinting. Has anybody else heard this?
It's for this reason alone I'll be getting darkest legal done on my new xr6 turbo ute which is arriving this week!!!! :

[YOOT]

I got 20% tint on the ute, it doesn't look so dark like 5% as to attract attention, but when trying to see who's inside from the outside is impossible, you can only just make out the silhouette throught the back window.